The construction, uses and design considerations of lenticular lenses are well known in the art and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,369 issued Jun. 15, 1971 to de Montebello, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,335 issued Jun. 19, 1990 to Fotland.
Jig saw puzzles have existed for decades as conventional forms of amusement and entertainment. Puzzle solvers regularly enjoy the mental exercises in shape, space and color identification and recognition provided by such puzzles. Experienced puzzle solvers find simple and uncomplicated puzzles boring and seek out more complex puzzle offerings. To satisfy the need for complexity, puzzle designers and manufacturers have usually increased the total number of puzzle pieces or decreased the color contrasts in their puzzles. Complex puzzles usually require tables or similar large flat surfaces which will be available for extended periods of time, and which will remain available until the puzzle is either solved or abandoned. There exists a need for complex puzzles which are smaller in size, which will not preclude the use and availability of household furniture while in the process of being solved, which will present substantial solving problems to the solver, and which may be conveniently stored while in a partially solved condition.
To satisfy these needs, applicant has invented a small, portable jig-saw puzzle sized and shaped for carrying in briefcases or folders or the like, which is complex and challenging to the experienced solver, and which provides mental challenges in depth, shape, space and color perception through three dimensions. Additionally applicant has provided a puzzle board to which each of the pieces may be selectively retained where placed so that properly located pieces may be retained in place on one side of the board and that the remaining pieces may be stored on the opposite side of the board when the solver so requires. Because of the puzzles"" storage features, a solver no longer is required to decide whether to continue a partially solved puzzle or dismantle for a later day. The solver can now store the unlocated pieces on the reverse side of the magnetic board and place the board on a shelf or in a drawer or in a carrying case. A puzzle of the type hereinafter described may be stored for days, weeks and months, and it may be readily carried into places where people customarily look for something to occupy their time, such as in airports, doctor""s offices or while traveling.
It is the object of this invention to provide a portable jig saw puzzle depicting three dimensional subjects in three dimensional backgrounds including a solving board to which the individual pieces of the puzzle are magnetically attracted such that said pieces may be held in their correct position magnetically without the use of interlocking configurations, and which, during periods of non-use, may be readily stored in convenient locations.